The Best Dog Food for Sheltie Puppies

The Sheltie is a natural herder and an agile athlete. (Image: Apple Tree House/Lifesize/Getty Images)

The Sheltie, or Shetland sheepdog, puppy should be fed a diet closely resembling its native roots in the Shetland Islands. According to Sheltie expert William Cusick, a homemade natural blend of barley, pork, lamb, fish, potatoes, carrots and cabbage is ideal for Sheltie puppies and mature dogs. Beef, beet meal, soy, yellow corn and avocados should be avoided for all Shelties. Consumersearch.com provides a list of dry and canned puppy food that is appropriate for Sheltie puppies.

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Dog Food Regulations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates all pet food products sold commercially, labeling requirements and recall information. The FDA regulations are based on a model produced by the Association of American Feed Control Officials.

Homemade Food

According to Per Schonbeck, DVM, the best puppy food initially is the food the breeder provided the new pup during the weaning process. He suggests a slow change to alternate diets when the puppy feels at home. Homemade puppy food or canned puppy food should not be allowed to stand for any significant period of time and should be thrown away. William Cusick strongly advises using calcium oyster shell because the Sheltie assimilates this form of calcium. He discourages the use of Vitamin C supplement due to concerns of liver and kidney damage.

Dry Food

Orijen Puppy (Dry) is awarded a five star rating by Dogfoodadvisor.com because it meets AAFCO nutrient standards and is free of controversial grains and preservatives. A complete list of five star rated dry puppy food is available on the Dogfoodadvisor.com website.

Canned Food

Dogfoodscoop.com offers a five-star rating system for determining the best canned puppy food for your Sheltie. Wellness Just for Puppies is rated in the top 10 of all commercially sold puppy food. The products are free of wheat, corn and preservatives, ideal for a Sheltie puppy.

Certified Organic Food

Certified organic puppy food is free of pesticides, antibiotics or other chemicals, according to Vetinfo.com. The puppy food contains 100 percent nutritious ingredients with no preservatives or controversial fillers, additives, food coloring or corn syrup. The label for certified puppy food clearly states “certified organic.” Castor and Pollux Organix Puppy Formula is an example of certified organic puppy food, according to Safe-dog-food.com.

Advisories

Pet food recalls occur with some frequency. Dog owners can receive auto recall alerts from Dogfoodadvisor.com by providing an email. A complete list of all pet food recalls is available on the FDA website.